Adams, Eve - Patience is Their Virtue [Brides of Bachelor Bay 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (13 page)

“Keep sucking,” Adam groaned and held her head in place so he could direct the pace. Raven lashed his attack in time with Adam’s thrusts, but it wasn’t enough to break her, to shatter this torment constricting her to the point where she shuddered in need.

Adam drove faster, harder. The pumping of his hips plunged his cock in deep over and over, increasing his speed as his release grew imminent. “A little more. Ah, yes. Oh, my sweet wife. Just perfect. So perfect. Suck me. Harder. Faster. Oh, Jesus. Yes! That’s—oh, yes! Jesus!”

He fell forward as his release consumed him and he spilled his life into her mouth. She swallowed and sucked harder, hungry for more. And Raven, the diabolical man, continued to lick her gently, forcing her flesh to swell but never giving her enough friction for her to explode.

Adam dropped to his knees and framed her face with his hands. “You, my sweet wife, are absolutely incredible. I fear if I stay here with you, I will give in and allow you your release. But then where’s the punishment in that?”

He kissed her soundly and then stood. Raven had already stopped and stood, righting his clothes before offering a hand to her. Humiliation, stark and vivid, slammed into her. As Adam and Raven simply adjusted their clothes, she remained on her hands and knees, her clothes in disarray to expose her most secret flesh to them.

Dear God, she was no different than the loose women in Seattle’s Mad House. Without meeting either of their watchful gazes, she quickly stood and did her best to fix her appearance.

And just as quickly as he switched to the lover she wished he’d always be, Adam Steele once again fell into his role as the ruthless man. “Raven, please see if our guests have arrived. I believe our work here is done.”

“You bastard,” Patience whispered and curled into herself.

“Perhaps next time you will take heed to my warnings.” Raven kissed her forehead and then left the room.

“How could you?” Tears burned in her eyes, and she squeezed her eyes shut to hold them back.

“Think of me fondly, my dear. Everything I do is for you. I will never purposely hurt you, nor will I allow anyone else close enough to bring you any pain. Today was an example of what I will do for you. I will take on every man in the entire territory if it comes to that, all to protect you. But you lack discipline. That is something we must change.”

“I hate you.”
God was going to burn her on the spot for that lie.

“You may believe those words at the moment, but you don’t hate me. Nor do I hate you. Quite the contrary. I am falling in love with you with every passing second, my dear Patience.” He delivered the news with a wink and a smile, melting her anger like the blazing sun attacking a helpless puddle of rainwater.

“Adam, you made me feel like nothing more than a common whore just now.”

He froze and blinked at her. Twice. “My love, that is not at all what this was about.”

“Then why treat me this way?”

He brought his hands up and cupped her cheeks, running the pad of his thumb under her moist eyes. “Don’t cry, baby. As I’ve told you, I will do anything and everything for you. You are my wife. My love. Once we have the rules set into place and they are followed, there will be no need to punish you again.”

“Will you release me of this torment after your meeting?”

“I’ll do more than that. To prove how far I will go for you, I will allow you to take control. I see the way you fight me for it. Our next time together, I relinquish my control to you.”

She looked up into his eyes. “You won’t take it from me?”

“Not unless you ask me to.”

Although she wanted to stay angry, the way he smiled at her and kissed the tip of her nose had her loving him even more than before.
Damn it.

“Now do be a dear and bring coffee into my office. We have to make sure the men of this town see how well you serve me.” He walked out of the room, completely oblivious to the fire flashing in his wife’s eyes.

“You want service,” she sang once he was out of earshot. “You’ve got it. After all, I must follow orders.”

Adam sank down in the chair behind the large oak desk and rested his hands in front of him as he studied the town council members before him. Judge Ron Arnett, tall, thin, and without a friendly bone in his body, stared at him with sunken-in black eyes. The man made Miles Petty look like a saint in his twisted dealings. Not a month went by in which Adam didn’t have to do or say something to stop the judge from stringing up an innocent man.

And speaking of the devil, Miles sat next to Ron, looking every bit the prim and proper business owner of half of the port’s lumber. Next to him sat Logan Gallagher. He and his brothers owned the other half of the port’s lumber. And, finally, Sheriff Caleb Brock, Port Steele’s law enforcer, sat on the end next to Logan.

“Gentlemen, thank you for coming. If you’ll please take a look at the agenda, we can get started.”

Ron snorted. “We’ll be sure to start once this room is clear.”

Adam hardened his gaze on him. The only other man in the room, aside from the five town council members, was Raven. It pissed him off that anyone thought of his own blood as anything other than respectable. Because he was more respectable than any of the men sitting in the room, including Adam.

But they did have an image to uphold. With a resolved sigh, he set his jaw and settled into his role. “Raven, that is all. You are dismissed.”

“Yes, sir.” Without another word, not even a growl, Raven silently walked out.

“It’s eerie how he moves without sound,” Miles commented in a smooth voice.

“It’s in their blood. Their kind can’t be trusted.” Judge Arnett thinned his lips.

“Mr. Steele trusts him,” the Sheriff said. “That’s good enough for me.”

“Are you suggesting that Raven shouldn’t be trusted simply based on the fact he’s Sioux?” Logan glared at both Ron and Miles. “Are you two really that ignorant?”

Miles laughed at his cousin. “If I wasn’t a gentleman, Logan.”

“But you’re not.”

He lost his smile and set his shoulders as he came close to standing and challenging his larger—and clearly stronger—cousin.

“Gentlemen,” Adam broke in, always the one to keep them all centered. “The topic of my manservant is not on the agenda.”

“Oh, but it is.” Ron held up his copy and pointed at the first item. “See here? I added it myself.”

“You can’t add agenda items,” Logan protested.

“I most certainly can. The item was added prior to calling the meeting to order, and it is on all copies of the agenda.”

The town council argued, Caleb and Logan arguing against it, Miles and Ron arguing for it. Adam held up his hand and the room fell silent. If they didn’t discuss it now, it would just end up on next meeting’s agenda and continue to fester until they did.

“We’ll discuss it under new business. Let’s get on with it.”

They hadn’t even made through old business before Miles had to speak up about Adam’s nuptials. “How is married life, Adam?”

Adam scraped a look his way before darting another glance at Logan. They’d both agreed to keep the circumstances of Patience’s marriage to him to themselves. Logan Gallagher, he could trust. Miles Petty, he couldn’t. The gossips had already created their own story, one that would die after his trip to the mercantile today.

“I’m beside myself with joy, Miles. I thank the Lord every minute for my good fortune. Patience is the perfect wife.”

Miles grew red under his collar and the color steadily crawled up his neck. “That’s wonderful, if not a bit shocking.”

“Miles,” Logan warned in a low growl.

Miles put up his hand to ward off the attack. “I’m simply stating a fact. They seemed less than blissful at the ceremony yesterday.”

The Sheriff leaned forward. “I had no idea you were that close to Mr. Steele. I only heard of their marriage at church yesterday. I, like the rest of the town, was shocked at Reverend Reece’s news. The brides were all aflutter, especially the youngest Prescott.” He then let out a long sigh as he released her name. “Amelia.”

Adam pinched the skin between his eyes to ward off his growing headache. When the doors to his office slid open, he glanced up to see his beautiful wife in those reprehensible rags he should have burned when he had the chance. What would the council think of him dressing his wife in dirty calico?

“Your coffee,” she said pleasantly, her pale eyes dancing.

He stilled and gave her eyes a second glance.
Oh, hell no.
They were not only blue, but the iciest blue he’d ever seen. That wasn’t a good sign.

She was pissed.

“Patience, my dear. Allow me to introduce you to—”

“That won’t be necessary,” she crooned, cutting him off and embarrassing the hell out of him in front of the rest of the men. “I’m sure I’ll forget each and every one of their names just as soon as I leave the room.”

He gritted his teeth. “I insist.”

“Well, in that case.” She smiled, and the gesture lit up her piercing pale blue eyes. The rest of the men seemed lost in her gaze, but Adam knew better.

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

From the look on her pretty face, Patience was beyond furious with him, and apparently, she intended to take it out on him here, in front of the entire town council.

Wonderful.

“May I introduce Judge Ron Arnett.”

Patience waved at her face as she beamed and curtseyed. “Most pleased to meet your acquaintance, Mr. Arnett.” She then batted her baby blue eyes, and Ron softened his hard expression for the first time ever. “Or should I call you Judge Arnett? I do want to make sure I don’t offend.”

“Ron is perfectly fine, my dear.” He took her hand and kissed her knuckles. She fanned herself and let out a slight giggle.

Adam swallowed back a growl. God
damn
her. She was flirting, and with Ron Arnett of all men. “And this is the sheriff, Caleb Brock.”

“A real lawman? Oh, my. It is ever so delightful to meet you, Sheriff Brock. No doubt Port Steele is in ideal hands with you enforcing our laws.” She bowed to him as she offered her hand, which he eagerly took and brought to his lips.

He lingered a bit longer than Adam appreciated. With a sharp clearing of his throat, Adam told him to drop the hand. Caleb did and colored furiously. He’d have to speak to Logan about getting the sheriff a wife.

“And you need no introduction, Mr. Gallagher. There are no words that could possibly convey the thanks I have for you bringing my dear husband and me together.”

Although she smiled, and both Ron and Caleb let out audible sighs at the beautiful sight, Adam and Gallagher exchanged knowing glances. Patience Steele was furious, and she aimed to make sure Adam knew it.

“And Mr. Petty. What can I say?” She shrugged, and that forced smile grew. Adam stood to stop her before she not only embarrassed him further, but ended up killing Miles Petty with her bare hands. She looked that upset.

“Thank you for the coffee, my dear. We have much to discuss, so if you would.” He took her by the small of the back and tried to lead her out of the office before she released whatever had her so upset.

Which, he feared, would be directed at him.

She rolled out of his grip. “Just as soon as I serve the coffee.”

“That’s not necessary.”